In an internal combustion engine provided with an electronic fuel injection system an electric solenoid actuated flow control valve is conveniently used for controlling the amount of intake air when the cold engine is started, to compensate for changes in idling operation of the engine with the passage of the time, to correct idling fluctuations of the engine, or to compensate the idling variation when the engine is operating at high altitude. With reference to cold starting of the engine, the flow control valve operates to decrease a flow of air by-passing the intake pipe of the engine with increasing temperature of the engine.
When the engine is not operatine, the flow control valve is fully closed. However, this construction of the flow control valve suffers from the drawback that starting of the engine is often impossible at a very low atmospheric temperature, as low as -20.degree. C.-30.degree. C., because parts of the valve become locked by ice, so the valve remains fully closed even if an electric current is supplied to the solenoid mechanism. Therefore, no intake air can be introduced into the engine.